Courtney Love brings out the Miss Worlds

Posted by Jess Watt on July 11, 2010 12:23 PM

Hole, er should I say, Courtney Love, as her 3 piece band is just that: a 3 piece band, briefly passed through Toronto this past weekend. By way of 'briefly', I mean she skipped her soundcheck and was a half hour late onstage, and only played a 70 minute set. But what she lacked in timeliness, she and the adoring crowd's appreciation made up for.

Surprisingly not sold out - I guess some grow out of their Miss World outfits, about 75% of the venue's capacity didn't, as the mainly female audience adorned their Miss World crowns in some fashion. (See 1994's Live Through This album cover)

Love played a unique set bouncing through snipits of 'Pretty on the Inside' to covers of The Rolling Stones and a down tempo version of Nine Inch Nails, 'Closer', to the mandatory 1990s anthems such as 'Violet', 'Plump', 'Miss World' and 'Doll Parts'. To which the crowd sang-a-long to as Love let it rip. Songs off her latest effort in over 10 years, Nobody's Daughter were well appreciated as Love shined, even in between drags off a cigarette. The exception to her efforts was the 3rd song of the night and her latest single, 'Skinny Little Bitch', in which Love barely gave us anything - an unforgivable point in the night, as on disc the song is compelling and raw. Live, it simply fell flat to my disappointment.

Known for "not knowing what to expect", Love pronounced to the crowd she had recently turned 46 and "wasn't into that anymore". That's not to say she doesn't appreciate it, as the audience tossed at least a dozen bras on stage much to Love's delight as she declared, "that's more than in Nashville."

Seeing Hole, er, Courtney Love fulfilled a minor dream of mine, as I missed them in their heyday. To me, this was THE most anticipated concert of the summer and overall she didn't disappoint.